Centreboard!

Perhaps the most important addition to Maiwar since her launch.

Here, the centreboard is being prevented from going it’s full depth by the trailer

After sea-trials I found, as expected, that rowing to windward was a real struggle. You see, the issue is that there’s a hell of a lot more windage forward in Maiwar. Her center of effort and centre of lateral resistance just don’t line up. Her centre of lateral resistance is aft of midships, owing to the ruder, and her center of effort is well forward, due to the large cabin. It is worth saying that Maiwar is far better balanced than almost all ocean rowing boats. These boats would not have a chance of rowing with anything other than a breeze aft of the quarters.

In reality, 95% of my Pacific Crossing will be downwind, in which case, balance is not important. However, for the other 5%, when I’m trying to reach an anchorage, or clawing off a lee shore, having a balanced boat could be life and death.

The centerboard was something I have been thinking about since I designed the boat however, I wanted to trial her before settling on a design.

Locating the board was tricky, as most of the forward section of the boat is taken up with my bunk. Eventually I settled on the centerboard being offset to starboard, placed as far forward as practical. It’s location has somewhat impeded my foot room in the forward end of the bunk, but this shouldn’t be an issue. The centerboard case goes right up through the bookshelf, meaning room for one less book! This life’s full of compromises.

The centerboard itself is made out of one fine piece of Silver Ash. The plank wasn’t quite wide enough, so I ripped it down the middle and added a piece of Merbau. This not only widens the board, but adds strength and limits movement in the timber. It’s got a simple rope handle on top to pull it up, and holes along its length to set it at different heights. When fully raised it’s flush with the hull on the outside, where it will stay for the majority of my journey.

So now I’ve moved the center of lateral resistance forward it was time to bring the center of effort aft. This was a more simple exercise. Ideally the aft deck would have a similar bubble cabin to the forward half of the boat, this would ensure equal balance. However I wasn’t interested in the added complexity, the aesthetics, or the impracticality of this. So instead I made a simple nameboard, this is mounted vertically into the handrail and acts as extra windage, only when the breeze is on the beam. It won’t increase speed as some people may suggest, but will make the boat behave properly. Windage will not be increased when the breeze is aft of the quarters, where it will be for the majority of my journey. I will truly be rowing, not blowing like some ocean rowing vessels do.

Onwards and upwards for Maiwar, she’s improving every day!